Comparison

TP vs UniCam

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TP

Monitor and manage your business security cameras remotely. View live feeds, playback recorded footage, and receive instant alerts for motion detection. Easy setup guides you through connecting your devices for continuous protection.

Highlights
  • Remote camera feed access
  • Live view and video playback
  • Step-by-step installation guidance
  • Smart motion detection alerts
  • Activity zone and obstruction alerts
Features
Read full description

VIGI is specially developed for VIGI IP cameras and NVRs that are dedicated to protecting the business you’ve worked hard to build. It allows you to easily add, configure, monitor, and control your connected devices. Simply create an account and add IP cameras to it to enjoy the real-time video—whenever, wherever. Moreover, it also allows you to play back videos at any time. Cooperating with TP-Link VIGI cloud service, VIGI is able to send you instant notifications when motion is detected. Key Features • Check your camera feed—anytime, anywhere. • Watch live-view videos and play them back instantly. • Step-by-step installation guidance makes setup remarkably easy. • Smart detection (motion detection/boundary alerts/activity zones/obstruction alerts) and instant notifications ensure your business is safe and secure.

About

UniCam

Transform old phones into smart security cameras with AI-powered alerts. Customize notifications to detect specific events, monitor live streams, and communicate remotely. Supports a wide range of IP cameras and offers a privacy-focused design.

Highlights
  • AI Event Analysis for custom alerts
  • Repurpose old phones as cameras
  • Universal IP camera support
  • 24/7 live streaming
  • Two-way audio and siren
  • Pan-Tilt-Zoom control
  • Apple TV integration
Features
Read full description

Turn any spare iPhone or iPad into an AI-powered security camera — and tell it, in your own words, exactly what matters. AI EVENT ANALYSIS Type what you want to know — "alert me if a person enters the backyard", "notify me when the baby climbs out of the crib", "tell me if the dog gets on the couch" — and whenever your mobile camera records motion, UniCam's AI reviews the recording and notifies you only when it matches. No more alert spam. Just the moments you asked for. SIRI AND EVENT SEARCH Ask Siri to open a camera, search your events, turn alerts on or off or set up AI Analysis. Say “Show Front Door in UniCam” or “Search UniCam events.” In Events, type “dog in the garden” and UniCam finds the matching events from the last 7 days. KEY FEATURES: * AI Event Analysis: AI reviews the motion recordings from your mobile cameras and alerts you only about what you asked for * Multi-Purpose Mobile Camera: convert old phones into baby monitors, pet cams, dashcams, or security cameras — no extra hardware needed * Universal IP Camera Support: connect ONVIF, RTSP, MJPEG, and HLS cameras from Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink, and many more * 24/7 Live Streaming: watch from anywhere over WiFi, LTE, or 5G — on iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV * Instant Motion Alerts: get notified the moment movement is detected * Two-Way Audio: talk to family or pets, or deter intruders with the built-in siren * Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) Control: manage supported IP cameras remotely with full directional and zoom control * Smart Camera Discovery: auto-detect IP cameras on your local network for quick setup * Groups: see your cameras side by side in a mosaic and build custom multi-camera views * Picture-in-Picture: keep watching your camera while you use other apps * Event timeline: see a thumbnail of every event and play back its recording * Privacy-Focused Design: your data remains secure and private PERFECT FOR: * Baby Monitor: watch your little one with live video and smart, AI-filtered alerts * Pet Camera: check in on your pets and talk to them while you're away * Home Security: turn any device into a WiFi security camera for enhanced protection * Nanny Cam and Dashcam: flexible monitoring wherever you need it APPLE TV INTEGRATION: Stream your mobile and IP cameras directly to your Apple TV for a larger viewing experience. Perfect for comprehensive home monitoring — your baby, pets, and home security on the big screen. QUICK AND EASY SETUP: Create your home security system in minutes with guided onboarding and in-app tutorials — no technical skills required. ECO-FRIENDLY SOLUTION: Repurpose old devices as WiFi cameras or monitors with no hidden costs. Compatible with iOS, iPadOS, and Apple TV. UNICAM PRO FEATURES: * Unlimited Device Connections * Multiple Simultaneous Streams * Enhanced Audio with Walkie-Talkie and Siren * HD Video Quality UNICAM MAX FEATURES: * Everything in PRO, plus AI Event Analysis with custom prompts SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS: Upgrade to UniCam PRO for premium features like HD viewing and unlimited devices, or UniCam MAX to add AI Event Analysis. Subscription auto-renews unless canceled 24 hours before the period ends. Manage subscriptions in Account Settings. ONVIF AND IP CAMERA SUPPORT: UniCam is compatible with a wide range of IP cameras, including those following the ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) standard, ensuring seamless integration with cameras from various manufacturers. WHY CHOOSE UNICAM? UniCam is the only camera app you need: AI-filtered alerts that tell you what actually matters, ONVIF and RTSP support for your existing cameras, and the power to turn spare phones into smart cameras. Download now and let AI keep watch for you. Privacy Policy: https://unicam.app/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://unicam.app/terms-of-service/

Screenshots

TP4 screens
UniCam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TP at none against UniCam's 10. TP also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 33%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. UniCam sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. TP asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TP holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TP has 396 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of TP's written reviews are positive against 33% of UniCam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TP ships an update monthly, UniCam every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TP versus UniCam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTPUniCam
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (396 ratings) — better4.5 (52 ratings)
Positive reviews64.0% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings396 — better52
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size225 MB98 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTP-Link Systems Inc.nittbit

Customer experience

TP

All ratings386 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.3%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews403 reviews
Positive64.0%
Neutral10.7%
Negative25.3%

UniCam

All ratings51 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral2.0%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews81 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral6.2%
Negative60.5%

Bugs and requests

TP

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

UniCam

Reported bugs

39 issues
  • Pan/Tilt not straight on iOS
  • Last update erased account and purchases
  • Login issues after payment
  • Premium locked cameras
  • No PTZ options after subscription
Show 34 more
  • Camera not working (Hikvision DS-2CD2083-I)
  • No manual IP entry
  • App crashes with >4 cameras
  • No sound, poor settings
  • Cameras not working locally after update
  • No default resolution setting
  • Dahua NVR not supported
  • HTTPS connection error
  • Crashes when purchasing
  • PTZ fault in ONVIF
  • Subscription/account required
  • No remote access without port forwarding
  • App unusable after last update
  • New account system terrible
  • Purchased version limited to 4 cameras
  • Video stream freezes
  • Constant subscription popup
  • Original purchase cancelled, forced to subscribe
  • Hack attempt after installing
  • New version cut features, introduced subscription
  • Forgets DVR settings
  • Sender not authorized error
  • Half screen green
  • Video stream freezes often
  • Crashes frequently
  • Pro version lost after update
  • Cannot PTZ
  • SDP stream not working
  • 1/4 screen visible, rest green
  • Freezes on Apple TV/iPad
  • No cameras detected
  • Hikvision not supported (port issues)
  • No ONVIF detection
  • No widgets

Requested features

8 requests
  • Option to zoom on Apple TV
  • Picture-in-picture support on tvOS
  • Support for JPEG streams
  • Add PTZ support for cameras
  • Default view setting for Apple TV
Show 3 more
  • iCloud sync for cameras
  • Launch directly into multi-cam screen
  • Add PTZ controls

In-app purchases

None

TP

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

UniCam

Subscriptions4
  • PRO - 1 Month$3.991 Month
  • MAX - 1 Month$9.991 Month
  • PRO - 6 months$19.996 Months
Show 1 more
  • PRO - 1 Year7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time4
  • Starter Version2 variants$1.99
  • Standard Version2 variants$3.99
  • Advanced Version$7.99
Show 1 more
  • PRO version$9.99

Questions

Is TP free?
TP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is UniCam free?
UniCam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TP or UniCam?
TP is rated higher. TP averages 4.9 out of 5 from 396 ratings, while UniCam averages 4.5 from 52 ratings.
Do TP or UniCam have ads?
Neither TP nor UniCam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TP or UniCam?
TP ships an update monthly, and UniCam every 3 weeks. Most recently, TP was updated on November 7, 2026 and UniCam on November 3, 2026.

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